The Raqqa Health Directorate officially took over the maternity hospital in the city of Tabqa on Sunday, following its formal approval as part of the Ministry of Health鈥檚 facilities under a ministerial decree. The handover ceremony was attended by the Health Director, several members of the Executive Office, regional administration officials, as well as the hospital鈥檚 medical and administrative staff.
Dr. Abdullah Al-Hamoud, Director of Raqqa Health, stated that the hospital comprises approximately 46 beds and several essential departments, including clinics, labor rooms, two operating rooms, and around 10 incubators, in addition to a pharmacy, an emergency first aid department, and an intensive care unit dedicated to critical cases before delivery. Al-Hamoud noted that the Ministry aims to strengthen the health workforce and expand departments, secure modern equipment and a small blood bank, increase the number of ambulances, and establish medical points for pregnancy monitoring.
For his part, the hospital鈥檚 administrative director, Mahmoud Al-Abd, explained that the hospital鈥檚 service coverage extends from the Muskeneh area to the administrative borders of Raqqa city, serving a population of approximately 300,000. He clarified that the hospital receives between 1,500 and 2,000 monthly visits, performs around 200 surgeries, and admits hundreds of natural childbirth cases. He added that converting the building into an independent national health institution was done via a ministerial decree to support medical services, with ongoing efforts to provide specialized ambulances and advanced imaging equipment.
Dr. Ghassan Al-Balikh, a gynecological surgery specialist, highlighted the strategic importance of the hospital in serving a geographical area with a diameter of at least 50 kilometers, noting that the nearest central government hospital is located more than 52 kilometers from Raqqa city. He explained that the hospital鈥檚 official status helps reduce travel time to medical care, alleviate the burden and high costs of transportation, especially for critical emergency cases, and relieve pressure on the central maternity hospital in Raqqa city.
The maternity hospital, which opened in Tabqa in October 2024, is the first specialized facility for gynecology and obstetrics in the city and its countryside, providing delivery services and medical follow-up for the local population.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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